Voltage regulator with temperature compensation



Sept. 29, 1936.

Filed April 29, 1935 1 W1: l A\\\\\\\\\\\&\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ -35 I M H61 624 INVENTOR. 62-0265 W 5 57/1 K 40 46 4 2 BY ATTORNEYS ail- Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VOLTAGE REGULAT TURE CO George 1W. Speth, Clev OR WITH TEMPERA- MPENSATION eland, Ohio, assignor to The Leece-Neville Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application April 29,

16 Claims.

movable armature.

Another provid device. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved generator Still another object ofthis invention is to -pro-' vide animproved voltage re e frame to vary h respect'to the me part to vary the posi th' respect to the 1935, Serial No. 18,833 (01. 200-87) devices have been used heretofore with generators for the purpose of maintaining the terminal voltage or load current at a substantially gardless' of changes in speed or ing systems. for compensa temperature larly genera illustration My invention has to do with means ting for changes in the operating of electromagnetic devices, particul0 tor regulating devices own my temperature compensating means embodied in a voltage regulator of the type having an electromagnet l0 and a vibratory armature H. The electromagnet l0 may comprise a frame part 42, and a core 13 having a magnetizing coil or winding I4 thereon. The frame part II may be of U-like form having spaced arm portions I6 and I7, and a transverse connecting part l8. The core I3 may be connected to the transverse frame portion 18, and the core energizing winding 14 may be disposed within the opening of the U-like frame. 7

The armature l I is mounted on one of the arms 30 of the frame, in this instance, the arm l6, so as to extend adjacent the core l3. Any suitable oper nt of the armature relative to' 35 the core. In this instance I provide the armature with a spring plate H] which is connected to the frame, as by means of the screws 20, and is adapted to be flexed during movement of the armature.

In this instance the armature H is provided with upper and lower contact elements 2| and 22, which cooperate respectively with upper and lower stationary contact elements 23 and 24. The stationary contact elements are carried respectively by brackets 25 and 25; which may be I! of the magnet frame. are insulated from each me by insulating layers The brackets 25 and 26 other and from the fra 21 and 28.

The armature of the present devic biased away from th such as the spring 3 connected to the o and its other end e is normally e core l3 by suitable means, 5, which has one end thereof uter end 3| of the armature anchored to'a bracket 32 projecting from the arm 16 of the frame. The spring 30 tends to press the contact 2! of the armature against the stationary upper contact 23. The tension of the spring 33 may be varied as desired, by means of the adjusting nut 33 which cooperates with the threaded extension 34 of the spring and bears against the bracket 32. The extension 34 projects through an opening of the bracket 32, the opening being of a shape to prevent rotation of the threaded extension when the nut 33 is rotated. The nut 33 is yieldably held in any desired position of adjustment by 7 means of the spring detent 35 which cooperates with the knurled portion 33 of the nut.

For the purpose of invention it is deemed unnecessary to explain the electric circuits which are controlled by the cooperating pairs of contacts 2!, 23 and 22, 24. It is thought sufficient for the purpose of. the present invention to explain that the armature l l' responds to magnetization produced in the'core and frame by the winding 54, and is vibrated. rapidly by the action of the spring 34 in combination with variations in the strength of the flux produced by the magnet winding. The contacts 2| and 23 are closed except when the magnetization is suincient to move the armature l against the action of the spring 33, and while these contacts remain closed they short circuit a resistance "element 38. When the regulator is connected to a generator in a manner well understood in the art, the opening and closing of. the contacts 2! and 23 intermittently connects the resistance 38 into, and short circuits the same out of, the field circuit of the generator. The contacts 22 and 24 may or may not be provided, but when used may be arranged to control other energizing circuits for the field of the generator.

In accordance with the present invention the magnet frame I2 is yieldable or at least the arm 16 thereof which supports the armature H is V shiftable relative to the core l3 and the stationary contact 23. By causing the shifting or flexing of the arm it of the magnet frame, as will be 7 presently explained, the operating position or vibratory action of the armature is changed with respect to tact 23.

For shifting or flexing the arm it which constitutes a mount for the movable armature H, I provide the temperature responsive element 49. This element is arranged to act'on the frame of the magnet to cause shifting of the arm E6 to produce the desired effect upon the armature I i. In this instance I employ a temperature responsive element in the form of a flat bimetallic strip and arrange the same to act on some portion of the yieldable magnet frame, preferablyon the transverse part l8, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. When changes occur in the operating temperature of the device, as the result of, the resistance heating of the magnet winding'or other causes, the bimetallic element 46 tends to assume a bowed condition, and in so doing stresses the magnet frame to cause relative movement beunderstanding the present .Should, an increase occur in the core. 13 and the stationary con- 1 strip to the transverse part I8 may be made in any suitable way such as by means of rivets 45 extending through the frame and through the strip adjacent the ends of the latter. .therrno-m'etal strip 43 may be of any size, shape or thickness suitable to produce the desired flexing of the frame. 7 For the purpose of maintaining the desired electric circuits, an insulating strip 46 may be disposed between the element 40 and the portion 44 of the support 42. For a similar reason the screws'43 may be arranged to extend through insulating sleeves and washers 41 and. 48.

In the operation of the present device the armature H. is vibrated to cause the contacts 2| and 22 to cooperate with the contacts 23 and 24.

the operating temperature of the device such as by reason of the resistance heating of the winding M, the ampere turns .of the winding ature responsive element 40 tends to assume a bowed condition and in so doing stresses the yieldable frame of the magnet to cause the arms l5 and Hi to be sprung or swung toward the core I3. This movement of the arm It causes the hinged end of the armature H to be shifted toward the core l3, thereby decreasing the tension of the spring pressure of the contact 2| against the contact 23. This shifting of the arm IE and the armature llv also causes a reduction in the width of the air gap The' toward each other and 3B and reducing the the reduction in the ampere decrease but the temperaction just explained is effective in this manner,

regardless of whether the armature is operating on the stationary contact23 or the stationary contact 24, or is operating intermittently between these contacts.

When a decrease occurs perature of the regulator,

in the operating temthe ampere turns of the winding l4 increase but at the same time the thermo-metal element 40 tends to bow in the reverse direction and thereby swings or flexes the arms l3 and I! of the frame away from each other. This movement of the arm [6 also shifts the position of the armature relative to the core and thecontacts 2| and between the armature and core is increased and the pressure of the armature contact 2| against the stationary contact 23 is increased. The effect I thus produced on the armature is to render the same less responsive winding l4 and thus ofiset an increase in the ampere turns of the winding resulting from a decrease in its resistance.

From the foregoing companying drawing that I have provided a simple and efficient temperature compensating means which can be conveniently applied to a voltage regulator or to various other electromagnetic devices. compensating means can be very economically applied to such devices because it involves only the application of mo-metal element to the frame of the magnet in a manner to cause flexing or shifting of'the portion of the frame uponwhich the armature is mounted.

description and the ac- 24, so that the air gap.

to magnetization of the it will now be readily seen' My 7 novel a relatively inexpensive ther- V PLO :1 have illustrated and :described my invention inra somewhat detailed manner, itshould ;be understood, however, that Ido not wish to be limited to the 1precise;details of construction and arrangements of ,parts illustrated and described, .but regard the invention as including such phanges and modificatons as .do :not constitute a .departurefrom the spiritof the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a magnet having a core with an energizing winding thereon, an armature, a yieldable magnet frame mounting said armature to be vibrated by energization of the magnet core, and temperature responsive means acting on said yieldable frame to vary the position of the same relative to the core and to correspondingly vary the vibratory action of the armature.

2. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a magnet having a coil provided with a core, a frame part adjacent said magnet, a movable armature on said frame part extending in cooperating relation to said core, and temperature responsive means acting on said frame part to vary the operating position of the armature relative to the core.

3. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a magnet having a coil provided with a core, a frame part adjacent said magnet, an armature mounted on said frame part for vibratory movement and extending in cooperating relation to said core, a contact element against which said armature vibratorily engages, and temperature responsive means acting on said frame part to vary the vibratory action of the armature relative to the core and contact element to compensate for changes in the operating temperature of the device.

4. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a magnet having a core with a winding thereon, an armature extending adjacent said core, a contact element, a yieldable magnet frame mounting said armature for movement relative to the core, a spring acting on the armature to press the same against said contact element, and temperature responsive means adapted to flex said magnet frame to vary the pressure of the armature against said contact.

5. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a magnet having a frame and a core with a winding thereon, said frame having a yieldable part, an armature mounted on said yieldable part and extending adjacent the core, a contact element, a spring acting on the armature to bias the same against said contact element, and temperature responsive means arranged to deflect said yieldable frame part in a direction to vary the pressure of the armature against said contact element.

6. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a magnet comprising a frame and a core with a winding thereon, an armature movably mounted on the frame and extending adjacent the core, a contact element, a spring acting on the armature and normally biasing the same away from the core and against said contact, and a temperature responsive element arranged to act on the frame to vary the pressure of the armature against said contact and the width of the air gap between the armature and core.

jacentthe ,core, said frame part being yieldable,

and temperature responsive means adapted to tion .of a magnet having a winding and spaced frame portions one for the winding, a

of which constitutes :a core movable armature on the other frame portion to extend adjacent thecore,

:and temperature responsive means acting on one :of the frame portions to vary the position of the armature relative to the core.

9. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a magnet having a winding and spaced frame parts one of which constitutes a core for the winding and the other of which is yieldable, an armature on the yieldable frame part extending adjacent the core, and temperature responsive means acting on the yieldable frame part.

10. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a yieldable frame having spaced arms and a transverse part connecting the same, a core between the arms aind connected with said transverse part, an armature mounted on one of said arms and extending adjacent said core, and temperature responsive means acting on said frame to flex the same to thereby vary the operating position of said armature.

11. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a yieldable rame having spaced arms and a transverse part connecting the same, a core between the arms and connected with said transverse part, a vibratory armature mounted on one of said arms and extending adjacent said core, and temperature responsive means arranged to act on the transverse part of said frame to cause shifting of said one arm and thereby vary the vibratory action of the armature.

12. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a yieldable U-like frame having spaced arms and a transverse connecting part, a magnet core disposed in the opening of the frame and having a winding t mounted on one of said arms and extending across said core, a support, means connecting the transverse part of said frame with said support, and temperature responsive means between said support and transverse part adapted to cause variation in the spacing of said arms to thereby vary the operating position of the armature.

13. In an electromagnetic device the combination of an electromagnet having a yieldable frame and a core provided with a winding, a movable armature mounted on the frame and extending adjacent the core, and a temperature responsive element having spaced portions thereof anchored to said frame whereby temperature changes cause flexing of the frame.

14. In an electromagnetic device the combination of an electromagnet having a yieldable frame and a core provided with a winding, a movable armature mounted on the frame and extending adjacent the core, a support to which a portion of said frame is connected, and a temperature responsive element disposed between said frame portion and support and having spaced portions anchored to the frame whereby temperature changes cause flexing of the frame.

15. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a yieldable frame having spaced arms and a transverse part connecting the same, a magnet coil disposed between said arms, a contact carried on one of the arms, a vibratory armature mounted on the other arm and extending adjacent the coil and cooperating with said contact, and temperature responsive means arranged to act on the transverse part of said frame to cause relative shifting of said arms and variation in the cooperation of the armature with the contact in accordance with temperature changes.

16. In an electromagnetic device the combination of a yieldable U-like frame having spaced -10 arms and a transverse connecting part, a magnet winding disposed'in the opening of the frame, a contact element carried by one of said arms, 'a movable armature mounted on the other arm to be vibrated by said winding and cooperating with said contact, and temperature responsive means adapted to act on said transverse frame part to cause variation in spacing of said arms and thereby vary the cooperation of said armature with said contact.

GEORGE W. SPETH. 

